Phils Perfect Palomino!
Many of you know fellow Woody Boater Phil Andrews from New Zealand. Phil is a regular here and a pal for sure. Phil is a big Century guy. He has some nice boats down there on the other side of the planet. But Phil’s dream was to some day own a rare Century Palomino. A while back Phil had found the one he wanted but had to wait for Todd Warner to get realistic with the price. Enter the Warner Auction. And the perfect all original Palomino that was on the block.
Here is the image from the mecum auction web site before the auction. We called this boat as one of the treasures of the auction.
In an interesting twist. And this story has lots of them and examples of how patience can pay off. Woody Boater was reporting on the show live as you may recall. And in this case the sale reporting was happening so fast that we were out pacing the live streaming on the Mecum site. Phil found out he was the winner on Woody Boater. I still get goose bumps over that. Across the globe and me and my iphone.. And there he is. WOW! We have been following the drama ever since. Getting pics from the Antique Boat Center who handled the entire transaction and shipping and a new trailer and cover. Not child’s play for sure. Since the Warner action this has been underway. And late last week. She made it. Yup. The Palomino is in New Zealand.
The Palomino navigating the birthing canal! OK that's just strange. But the metaphor does work!
Just breath.. In ,,out,,, in ,,,,, out!
Out with her crate friends.
Phil and his palomino. Together at last. Wearing the colors I see..
Heading home. A secret honeymoon?
All the way from Minnesota to Cincinnati then across the Pacific and now..home. Phil.. Says.. “After nearly two years of foreplay the ex Warner collection, 1956 Century Palomino is finally safe in my boat shed in Wellington New Zealand.
Safe at home in New Zealand
You may recall the excitement the Mecum Warner Auction created last year with many of F Todd Warners gorgeous antique boats going under the hammer. With the assistance of Lou and the boys at Antique Boat center, I was the very lucky winner of the completely original 1956 Century Palamino. I had had several conversations with Todd the year before hoping to secure the boat which was marked for sale on the Mahogany Bay website but for one reason and another we never did the deal.
These three pictures are shots from the website and for almost two years I kept them as my screen saver on my laptop at the office and on my iphone.
I discovered that once anything makes it to your screensaver you’re committed!”
In storage at he Warner Auction. Back in October!
One of the pictures of the interior
It gets better, just this weekend was Phils Birthday, his Partner Amelia had sent away to ask The Wangards to mail 7 back issues of Classic boating Magazine as a present for him. And just by chance. What was in the magazines.. To quote Phil again.“the Nov Dec 1994 issue number 62 and there on page 4 is a picture of the Palamino. The exact same boat. How nuts is that!”
Thare she blows. Yup, thats it.
Tucked away in a storage area. The small treasures.
Cool Graphics on the battery box
All thats next is to add water. And zingy, you are woody boating!
Just in time for Southern winter!
Talk about patience…
Congrats Phil!
Phil, good to know she made it to your neck of the woods safely. When I saw her at Antique Boat Center I literally felt chills knowing the Palomino would soon be on her way to New Zeland. How do you like that monster post on the trailer? The turn buckle is a cool inovation but, wow it’s huge. She looks great! Thanks for sending the photos.
Oh, I was going to say something about this being a “Happy Ending” to this story but after seeing you standing beside the Palomino for the first time I realized that it’s actually a “Very Happy Beginning”.
Al, the post is huge all right. It winds forward and back to gently cradle the bow and it does that nicely. It looks a little out of whack in scale to the boat but Im happy with it.
I have to change the electrical adapter where it plugs into the tow vehicle and the safety cables but other than that its all good.
If anybody reading this might know of Mike Johnson of Oak Creek WISC who owned the boat back in 94 please let me know. I have asked Todd to see if he has a contact. Great fun to hear from previous curators of this boat.
Phil.
I tried to not write this so it was a man and his love of a Palomino.. And clearly happy Ending was a problem phrase in that respect! All kidding aside. This is so cool. We are really on a small blue marble when this sort of thing happens.
After seeing the Palomino on the floor at the Warner Collection Auction in October, it certainly looks nice with the upgrades from the Antique Boat Center. It’s exciting to finally see her arrive safely at her new home in NZ.
Congratulations Phil!
By the way – When do we get to see her in the water? Do we have to wait until next winter… your summer?
Texx, Im not sure when I will dip her in the H2O.
Im enjoying taking my time getting to know her at the moment. Im not even sure how to start the Johnson.
Weather wise its perfect for boating right now.
Phil.
Now I will never get a ride in that boat it is too far away. At least i have pictures,. Thanks
I knew Mike up untill about 10 years ago when he sold the boat. He stopped coming to boat club functions. I called the last number I had and it was re-assigned. Last I knew he worked for Dodge county.(10-12 years ago)
Thanks Jim, do you recall if Mike sold the boat to Todd Warner?
Phil.
RiverRat – Sounds like a virtual boat ride is in order and we know Phil has that technology… Once he gets the outboard motor started!
YIPEE….open her up
The outboard should not be too hard to start. There is usually a key thingy somewhere within reach of the round steering thingamajig. I think add fuel/oil mix, put it in the water and then you turn the key thingy. There might a choke doohicky that you need to do something with, I forget that part.
When the mosquito smoke screen gets nice and thick, it is running perfect!
Hey Phil
I was at the Warner Auction and bailed out of that boat at about 8K. I remember Tom,The first time I meet him at a Boat show I knew he was the owner of the Palomino because of his black and white Palomino patterned t shirt. Good Luck with him hes a beauty
Thanks Steve, thanks for letting go at 8k!
Its impossible to really know how much these things are worth. For me I just knew I was going to get it for less than the money Todd and I had been discussing.
There is a restored one on the Antique Boat Centre site with a red and white interior for 12k at the moment. Its a very cute boat. Hey its only 4k more than you wanted to spend last time.
Phil.
I remember an outing put on by Dwight Jechort of Jechort’s boat works in Winneconne, Wisconsin in ’97-98, or so and Mike and his buddy were there with his Palomino. We spent the day boating up the Wolf River and he got lost a few times – a habit as I recall. I wonder if I have some pictures of that event. I’ll have to look. They would not be digital shots. Last fall I purchased a total project ’57 mahogany Palomino and have just started trying to shape it up enough to start replacing frames, etc. Won’t be in the water anytime soon.
So – I find a picture of that vintage Garwood I want and put it up as my screen saver and voila’ soon it will appear in my garage.
Thanks for your reminiscing Jack. I would love to see any pictures you might find.
Please let me know if you need any pictures of my Palamino to help with the restoration of yours. Any little detail that puzzles you just sing out and I will get shots to you. Ive noticed there are two different rear hatch configurations for starters. Have you seen the youtube film with Ed Given’s Palamino? He has a 56 and its got subtle differences to mine I notice.
As for the screen saver technique it works scary good.
Couple of years ago I had this thing for a 1940′s TBM Grumman Avenger dive bomber. Had it as my screen saver. One day I received a call from an old retired chap in my street, Sir Frank Holmes, and he asked if I would help him rescue a Grumman Avenger from where it was languishing in a shed at his old squadron base in Gisborne NZ. He was not well enough to travel so I set off to Gisborne to have a look for the Avenger.
To cut a long story short I found the plane and reported back to Sir Frank and then quickly changed my screen saver before I spent the kids inheritance and bought the thing!
If anyone wants an old RNZAF 33 Squadron Grumman Avenger dive bomber I know where on is.
Phil.
Congrats Phil,
will the water swirl the opposite way out of the drain plug there?
Yes it sure will Brian.
There is a complete 1958 palomino that came out for sale on craigslist in Houston, Texas this week.. says he has it all including the wooden flag stern light.. 2500.00 with vintage trailer and 1958 evinrude “nifty fifty” .. says needs restored.. but looks pretty darn good in pictures. and motor is super clean too.. the ad URL is http://houston.craigslist.org/boa/2397142016.html
Interesting how things work out…
The photo links that the seller is showing on the craigslist listing are actually 2 of my photos from the Warner Collection Auction that we included in our Woody Boater story during the auction. Now Phil’s Palomino…
Thats interesting Fellas. I discovered yet another archived picture of my boat on the Century Club website.
Take a look under 1950′s outboards.
Phil
I see the ad is deleted.. but relisted..run a search on craigslist in Houston to see it.